Your guide to new rock, metal and punk bands worldwide
Our prolonged Christmas break is over and, like our first featured artist of 2021, we are back with a bang. Midgar is an unusual band for us, given that they started out more than a decade ago but, after a long hiatus, they're returning with a sound that's hard-hitting and intense yet melodic and intricate.
One-man band Noctry has honed an engaging but hard-hitting blend of alternative rock meets metal, which also incorporates elements of ambient, digital and electronic, and R&B.
Fusing progressive rock elements coming from a death metal background is always going to conjure up something pretty exciting, and that's exactly what we get from Brighton band Milk White Throat. The band offer up thrilling riffs, cheeky guitar solos and pounding rhythms in a heavy, intense and encapsulating sound.
How would you feel about revisiting songs or even things you thought or ranted about 21 years ago? Personally, I think it's best not to even contemplate visit 15-year-old me's thoughts. However, that's exactly what brilliantly named Los Angeles rock band Flammable Animal (try saying that three times) are doing with their recently released debut EP that transports us back to our formative music days of the 1990s.
German rockers Future Palace have honed an exciting alternative rock sound with electronic, post-hardcore, pop and soul influences, led by the delicious vocals of frontwoman Maria.
Until now, we've only ever covered one band from Brazil and no metal bands from the country. However, Ponta Grossa newcomers Hemmera have well and truly put the nation's scene on our map with their intoxicating fusion of metal, electronica, trance and orchestral elements, plus the contrast of screamed vocals and melodic choruses.
Reading band Flight of Eden's progressive modern metal sound is signified by a mix of heavy riffing, odd time signatures and technical exploration, which they describe as "powerful, atmospheric and emotional."
Experience the duality of classic analog rock'n'roll meets hard rock fused with electronic grooves from Indianapolis band Starve The Beast, who describe their sound as "groove, power and grit."
Expect the unexpected from South Florida band The Haunt, who deliver a different sound from song to song based on their punk, blues, industrial, and pop influences centred around soulful, powerful vocals.
Listening to Belgian band Second Opinion made us feel like we'd been transported back a couple of decades to the classic pop-punk era. The quartet offer up a delicious fast-paced sound that they describe as "energetic, catchy, meaningful."
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